Is it worth ordering chicks online

[Burddog]

What types are you looking for? I might be able to suggest better hatcheries depending on what you want

Im looking for Russian Orloff females. maybe a rooster too. Any insight on a reputable place? Maine has 1 hatchery that i can find but they arent selling this year to replenish their herd

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Im looking for Russian Orloff females. maybe a rooster too. Any insight on a reputable place? Maine has 1 hatchery that i can find but they arent selling this year to replenish their herd

I think IDEAL had Russian orloffs. But the chat feature would be great help figuring when you can even order sexed ones. Until some time in may, they only have indexed avaliable because they're already drowning in orders.

If they don't then it's stromburgs for at least st. Run. We ordered from both places and one order had them, but I can't remember which one

 

[poultryprofessor]

Im looking for Russian Orloff females. maybe a rooster too. Any insight on a reputable place? Maine has 1 hatchery that i can find but they arent selling this year to replenish their herd

Russian Orloff chickens aren't available through all hatcheries, but it looks like several do have them if you are looking for chicks. Stromberg (Minnesota), Welp (Iowa), and Ideal (Texas) all seem to have them - they are all well-established mail-order hatcheries so I would be comfortable purchasing from them.

In general, I recommend purchasing from the hatchery closest to you if you can (ground transport is more reliable than air transport with live animals), but chicks are regularly shipped clear across the country without issue.

 

[Ascholten]

I have to say, from the chicks perspective, buying in person is ALWAYS better than them being shoved into a box and brutalized by the mail system which does not give a flying F about anything except their pensions and overtime. You also get to see the chick in person and see it's health, instead of gettting one that got tortured in the mail, is on the verge of death, and now you being the decent soul you are, try desperately to keep it alive only to have to see it pass anyways.

Don't get me wrong, some people live in areas where they have no choice, the nearest live farm is 75 miles away or so, but if you Do have the choice Id highly recommend you go get it from them. At least you can see the conditions it was brought up in;.

Aaron

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Is it worth ordering baby chicks in the mail? Tips

All day, every day.. YES!

Accidents happen and some get "lost" in the process.. but life finds a way! Some breeds/varieties ship better than others. I've ordered from several of the hatcheries with both good and bad SHIPPING experiences.. but all the major hatcheries are business worthy. I've also ordered from breeders and don't think that is YOUR best bet according to the goals I've read so far.

NO such thing as express shipping to MY location even if that's the only option and I pay for it like MPC was. Most shipments take their full 3 days to MY location, some take 4.. chicks still arrive alive! The post m,aster 90 miles south usually calls when they arrive there to see if I wish to come get them.. it's quite a drive and fuel is around $4/gal

Make contact with the post master the week of shipping. And ask them to call you for pick up upon arrival.. this is 6:30 am in my location

Crush the chick feed extra.. This increased my survival rate drastically and offer WARM water upon arrival. Dip each beak in the water as they come out of the box and set them down. They cannot digest any food without water and dehydration is deadly faster than hunger. ANY who seem extra "sleepy" may need direct drop of Poultry Nutri Drench just below the nostril on the beak will be swallowed naturally when it rolls around into the mouth. I hold the chick in my hand and use the bend in my forefinger to help catch and direct the drop and beak together. This also dramatically increased survival rate in chicks stressed by shipping hazards/challenges!

Sometimes I will add poultry nutri drench AND homemade electrolyte solution (salt, sugar, soda) to the FIRST quart (couple days) of water. Shiny marbles is what I use to invite interest at the water station and help prevent wading in it.

I found out the hard way sipping beaks to deep while a chick might be breathing in can actually cause essentially drowning.. sounds like crackling every time they breath.

Orloff's are pretty cute. Best wishes!

 

[Littlefrenchyinbigtexas]

I used IDEAL and always happy, healthy chicks.
they are close to use so it is just an overnight trip for the chicks.
I would try to get a local reliable hatchery and avoid cross state travel.

 

[Cattle dog Mom]

@Burddog Join the Russian Orloff group on Facebook an find a breeder. I have seen SO many hatchery Orloffs that don't really even look like Orloffs. They look more like speckeld sussex because they are lacking the beard and muffs that Orloffs are SUPPOSED to have. If I bought a specific breed and it got birds that didn't even look like that breed, I would be PISSED! May as well just buy "barn yard mixes" off of craigslist.

 

[Chicken Heel]

I have ordered chicks from Murray McMurray going back to the 1970's and have never had any issues. My last two orders (2017 and 2018) were from Cackle Hatchery and they have been very hardy chickens from the start. I have always lived in NC and VA so all these chicks through the years were shipped from Iowa and Missouri and none have been DOA.